Actually, our power is the Triune God as the Spirit. Do you not believe that the Triune God is with us? I believe that He is with me in my speaking. When I am about to minister, I usually pray, “Lord, vindicate the fact that You are one spirit with me. Lord, I want to practice being one spirit with You. Lord, make it real that in my speaking You are one spirit with me. Lord, speak Your word in my speaking.” This is the way I pray before giving a message. Therefore, I believe that while I am speaking, He is one spirit with me and that He is speaking in my speaking. This is the real power.
We should not trust in anything other than prayer, the Word, and the Spirit. Perhaps a certain professor will be able to give a message concerning science in order to convince students of science to believe in God. Although there is nothing wrong with this, we should not put our trust in it. On the contrary, we should put our trust wholly and absolutely in prayer, in the Word, and in the anointing, which is the Triune God Himself.
In the book of Acts we see that the apostle Paul did not use gimmicks in preaching the gospel. Rather, “he proclaimed Jesus, that this One is the Son of God” (9:20). When Saul was in Damascus, he was “empowered and confounded the Jews dwelling in Damascus, proving that this One is the Christ” (9:22). In a foregoing message we emphasized the fact that in Thessalonica Paul reasoned with those in the synagogue from the Scriptures concerning Christ and saying, “This is the Christ, Jesus, whom I announce to you” (17:2-3). Likewise, we have seen that in Corinth Paul solemnly testified to the Jews that Jesus is the Christ (18:5). Therefore, instead of using gimmicks, Paul always spoke the word directly.
Perhaps you would say, “Brother Lee, you have been in the Word for over fifty years. How can we be powerful in preaching the gospel if we are still young in the Lord?” Let me testify to you that even when I was young my speaking was powerful because of these three matters of prayer, the Word, and the Spirit, the anointing. This indicates that even the young saints can preach the gospel with power and impact if they trust in prayer, the Word, and the Spirit.
Young saints, you can take a portion of the Word and preach it to others. Only do not trust in any eloquence you might have. Those who are eloquent in speaking may not have any power or impact. But those who are not eloquent, and who may even mispronounce words, may have impact and power in their gospel preaching. If we trust in prayer, the Word, and the Spirit, the Lord may even use speaking with the wrong pronunciation of words to save others.
As you may know, D. L. Moody was prevailing in preaching the gospel. He was a young apprentice in his uncle’s shoe store when he became burdened to preach the gospel. One day, after giving a gospel message, Moody was approached by a learned person who was in the congregation. This person told Moody that he often used mistaken grammar in his speaking. Moody’s reply was something like this: “Your grammar is correct. You go to preach and see what the result will be. I may use poor grammar, but through my preaching of the gospel people are saved.”
Whether or not we have power in preaching the gospel depends on our being, on our person. If we would have power, we need to be constituted of the all-inclusive Christ. Because Paul was constituted of Christ in this way, in his messages he always preached Christ. In 18:5 we see that Paul testified that Jesus is the Christ, and in verse 11, that during the year and a half he was in Corinth he taught the Word of God. We all need to learn of Paul to testify of Christ and teach the Word.
There is no shortcut to having power in preaching the gospel. We need to pray, we need to learn the Word, and we need to be one spirit with the Lord. In 1 Corinthians 6:17 Paul says, “He who is joined to the Lord is one spirit.” We need to stand upon this word, claim the fact, and practice it. We should say, “Lord, this is Your word. I stand on Your word, Lord, and claim the fact that I am one spirit with You. Lord, I ask You to vindicate Your word that You are truly one with me. Lord, I intend to speak for You and even to speak You forth. Lord, vindicate the word and show that You are really one with Your followers.” We all need to pray such a prayer. This is the prayer that will be heard in the heavens and by all the demons. If we are one spirit with the Lord in preaching the gospel, we shall have power and impact. Therefore, let us not trust in eloquence. Let us trust in prayer, in the Word, and in the Spirit.